Means for packing fresh pineapples.



H. B. KOPF.

MEANS PoR PACKING FRESH PINBAPPLES.

l APPLICATION FILED JULY 13, 1912. 1,042,928, Patented Oct. 29, 1912.

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HENRY B. KOPF, NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT.

MEANS FOR PACKING FRESH PINEAPPLES.

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To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that LI-IENRY B. KOPF, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New Haven, in the county of New Haven 5 and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and Improved Means for Packing Fresh Pineapples, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to means for packing perishable fruit in a tropical or semitropic'alclimate where it is grown, preparatory to shipment to temperate climates for consum ion. y

'The iiibntion has particular reference to method -of packing fresh pineapples which may have become substantially ripe before being gathered, whereby they may be shipped with safety and whereby the highest market prices are attainable. The ordinary shipping of pineapples is to pull them green and to pack them more or less promiscuously in crates, each pineapple being rsubjected to the damaging contact between it and other lpineapplesor the walls of the crate. 1t is well known that fruit gathered green is not so wholesome and by no means ofso delicious a flavor as the same `fruit would be if allowed to remain undisturbed 0? until substantially ripe.

'The invention consists of the details ofconstruction hereinafter fully described and claimed and illustrated in the drawings accompanying this specification in which lik'e characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views, and in which- Figure 1 is a verticalsection'of a carton with a pineapple secured therein; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same, the pineapple being omitted; Fig. 3 is a perspective vlew showing a slight modification; Fig-4 1s `a detail of one of the resilient packing members of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a sectional detail of a modied form of the meansfor supportingthe butt end of the pineapple; and Fig. 6 1s a detail of the cup vof F ig. 5.

lin the practical operation of this invention, which is designed for the packing and shipping particularly of the highest grades of fruit, the pineapples are allowed to remain on the stalks until they are fully matured and show atleast for' a short distance from the butt end a tint indicating that they, are substantially ripe. They are then cut from the stalks, vleaving a projecting stem 'S which, due to the nature of the pineapple,

Specieation of Letters Patent.

- material, preferably practice in the packing and.

is sufficiently rigid to support the major portion of the weight thereof.

Each pineapple is inclosed in a wrapper of any suitable design or construction, pref erably in'thevlnature of a rectangular carton 10 having sides 1-1, a bottom 12 and an open top 13. The size of the carton is preferably such as to correspond to thefsize of the pineapple and it will be made "of any suitable of corrugated packing paper of well known construction, the same being light, strong, cheap and protective. At 14 is shown a form of meanslfor receiving and support-ing the butt end of the pineapple so as to space the same from the bottomv 12 and prevent the said but-t end from impinging against the sides of the carton. This means 14,'as indicated in Rigs. 1 and 2, comprises ra comparatively flat member 15 having a central hole' 15a and a mar- .ginal rim 16. rThis device is adapted to substantially fit the lower portion ofthe carton and lie with the rim 16 in contact with the `bottom 12, the plate"15 thereof being spaced from the bottom 12 is adapted to receive the aforesaid stem S. Before packing the pineapples the said stems are preferably coated by some suitable sealing material such as melted wax or paralin, whereby air is excluded from the flesh of the fruit and the. stems otherwise rendered better fitted to the supporting means for the butt end of the pineapples.

In that form of the inventlon shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the stem S is fitted into the cup 17 secured permanently and rigidly as by prongs 17 to the member 14 and adaptedto contain melted sealing material indicated at P. By this means, as before, the butt of the pineapple is` spaced from 'the bot tom of the carton and through the stem S is prevented from lateral ,vibration toward or againstthe walls thereof.

Any" suitable form of iexible packing members may be used between the crown of the pineapple and the walls of the carton for the purpose of protecting the same and thereby distribute the strain thereof due to the packing and shipment among a many dierent oints of contact. To Athis end I use, as in icated' in Figs. 1 and 2, a series of hollow triangular pyramidal members 18, one for each corner of the carton andl adjacent the mouth thereof.. These members ljfllso may gated paper as above described.

great Patented Oct. 29, 1912.` Application filed July 1s, 1912., serial No. 709,231.

be made of' corruand through its hole 15a y The form of packing members shown in Figs. 3 and 4 consists of a plurality of resilient cylindrical devices 18 made of excelsior or the like, each wrapped with paper 19 or the like for convenience of manipulaltion. The rolls 18', in addition to protecting the crown or upper portion of the pineapple, may, if desired, extend all the way down to the butt, although it is not necessary in view of the projecting stem and the means for 'supporting the same for the crown supporting members to extend so far down.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by-Letters Patent is c 1. In means for packing fresh ripe pineapples, the combination of a-carton having a bottom, sides and open top, a cup containv ing sealing material within the carton and secured to the bottom to receive the pineapple stem whereby air is excluded from the pineapple and the butt is supported out of contact with the sides of the carton, and rcsilient packing members between the crown of the pineapple and the carton walls.

2. In means for packing fresh ripe pine-y apples, the combination of a carton having a bottom, sides and open top, means within the carton adjacent said bottom to receive the pineapple stem whereby the pineapple butt is supported out of contact with said ,bottom and prevented from impingng against the sides of the carton, and a series of hollow triangular pyramidal packing members between the crown of the pineapple and the carton walls, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

HENRY B. KOPF.

Witnesses:

JAMES H. WEBB, MABEL E. Ho'rcnxrss. 

